TV and Film Journal | 18.03.22

If the weather wasn't so damn chefs kiss this weekend, I would find it very difficult not to sit indoors Friday through Sunday and power through all the new TV and film that has come out in the last couple of days because there is SO much good stuff. The TV addict in me wants to see it and talk about it all immediately. If you're looking for what to watch this weekend, six things I'm putting above everything else are below and hopefully prove some what-to-watch inspo for the indecisive... 

1. Fresh on Disney+

I've heard only good things since this film showed at Sundance and feel like you can't get away from Sebastian Stan zeitgeist right now having been obsessed with Pam and Tommy. It's a black comedy thriller exploring the horrors (in air quotes) of modern dating; the directorial debut from Mimi Cave. The trailer doesn't give much away but the severed-hand-in-a-food-wrapper movie poster suggests scary times ahead. I'm holding out that this will be in the same vein as Promising Young Woman. 

Trailer: Watch me

2. Deep Water on Amazon Prime 

The other big and much anticipated film release this weekend is Deep Water on Amazon Prime (with Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas before they broke up IRL) which comparatively has un-good reviews, despite having all the components of a blockbuster; based on Patricia Highsmith - writer of The Talented Mr Ripley - her 1957 novel and directed by erotic thriller alumni Adrian Lyne of Fatal Attraction. Giving it a go mostly on the basis of the cast and hoping Nate from Euphoria's character is somewhat more likeable in this. 

Trailer: Watch me

2. WeCrashed on Apple+

AppleTV+ is slowly getting a more and more appealing (still addicted to Servant, kind of liked The Shrink Next Door and am fully into Severance), and WeCrashed is the next offering in dramatising the roots of unbeliably-successful-then-disastarous founders of "disruptive" cooperations like Super Pumped's Uber and The Dropout's Theranos. Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway is scarily stunning casting if you google the actual founders of WeWork and I loved his surprisingly hilarious character in House of Gucci. If it's a flop, at least it will be cool to look at for a bit.

Trailer: Watch me

4. Red Rocket in cinemas 

After seeing The Worst Person in the World this week at the cinema, I'm determined to watch more low-budget, high-rating indie films that don't always cut through the noise of the big hitters aka the Batman frenzy of the now. Coined as a film about a charismatic con man slash washed up porn star Mikey Saber who is plotting his return to big time LA while he lays low in his hometown of Texas city who barely tolerates him. It's directed by Sean Baker who also did The Florida Project, and it's got 89% on Rotten Tomatoes with critical acclaim everywhere you look -- so high, high hopes for this! 

(Update: Watched this on Friday night and it was an hilarious, original take on the American Dream with Simon Rex as a charmingly-boyish, annoying-as-anything main character who you literally can't help but root for, despite his brazenly problematic outlook of the world.)

Trailer: Watch me

5. X in cinemas 

Horror films aren't always my thing but X (that has just come out in the cinema) has tipped me with it's stylised cinematography, pretty good cast and so far, so good reviews, one I'm going to watch when it's streaming. Directed by Ti West who also directed The Sacrement and The Innkeepers, it follows a group of kids going to film a porn film in a cabin in the woods. The trailer is definitely worth watching if you're into this kind of film and succeeds in making gore look glam.

Trailer: Watch me

6. Windfall on Netflix

Another crime thriller that's just gone onto Netflix with a pretty of-the-moment and something-for-everyone cast (Lily Collins, Jesse Plemons and Jason Segal), Windfall is about a man who breaks into a tech billionaire's vacation home, who then arrives with his wife for a last minute getaway. Reviews are mixed but it's only 90 minutes long so if you like the actors, worth a watch. 

Trailer: Watch me